Association of quantitative growth plate uptake parameters on bone scintigraphy with growth velocity in children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between quantitative growth plate uptake parameters in bone scintigraphy and growth velocity among children.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 30 pediatric patients (21 male and nine female; age range, 3-15 years) who underwent planar bone scintigraphy. Ratios of maximum growth plate uptake to mean diaphyseal uptake (GPmax/D) and mean growth plate uptake to mean diaphyseal uptake (GPmean/D) were calculated for both femurs on anterior and posterior bone scintigraphy images. A total of eight GPmax/D parameters and eight GPmean/D parameters were measured. The relationships of growth plate uptake parameters with age and growth velocity (cm/year) were assessed.

Results: Correlation analysis with growth velocity revealed that the anterior GPmax/D (numerical mean of GPmax/D between the right and left femurs on an anterior image) exhibited the highest correlation coefficient (0.409) among the bone scintigraphy parameters (P = 0.034). The anterior GPmax/D also demonstrated a significant negative correlation with age (P = 0.042, correlation coefficient: -0.373). In a multiple regression analysis to predict growth velocity with adjusting for age and sex, the model that included left GPmean/D (geometric mean of GPmean/D between anterior and posterior images of the left femur) yielded the highest adjusted R2 value (0.786), followed by anterior GPmax/D (0.734).

Conclusion: Quantitative growth plate uptake parameters on the distal femur in bone scintigraphy are significantly associated with growth velocity. These findings suggest that growth plate uptake in bone scintigraphy could potentially serve as a predictive marker of growth in children.